Ten Ways to Say I Love You
by BallerinasAreBabyNinjas
Summary: I love you feels different when you're happy or sad, confident or unsure, falling in love or falling out of it. Kenshin and Kaoru know that better than most. Ten one shots exploring some ways to say the words. Prompted by a tumblr post. Rating might change.
1. Prompt 1: Straightforward

I stumbled upon this cute tumblr post about ten ways to say that I love you and saw all of the promise this showed for KenKao and their story. Finalizing my other story Coming Home to You on a monthly update schedule, this one will be more frequent, two weeks (or sooner when inspiration strikes!) If you've read that story, you might have realized I love filling romantic plot holes. This first one shot is no different. Ten one shots coming your way before the new year!

Disclaimer: RK isn't mine. Just taking some creative liberties and filling some plot holes!

* * *

**_Ten Ways to Say I Love You_**

_Prompt 1: Straightforward. Soft and heavy, like morning before the coffee's started brewing. Like that's all there is to say._

"I love you."

She said it lightly yet confidently. Her voice enamored and musical, floated across the empty courtyard. Reverberating against the walls in the property, resting heavily in his chest. Still early morning, no one else but the birds were around to hear her words; none of the Kenshin-gumi awake to ruin the moment.

Kenshin, who'd been reaching for the tofu bucket, froze in his tracks, whipping himself around. His scarf almost fell off with the motion. It was almost comical to see the man capable of so much grace with such wide eyes, clearly flustered. The master of the Kamiya Kasshin style sat on the engawa, legs crossed and sipping tea. Her eyes, locked on his, complemented the sunrise breaking out behind the dojo. A smile lay on her lips as she sipped before gently leaning her head against the support beam to her right. Kenshin's throat, on the other hand, was dry. Her gaze remained on him.

The Kenshin-gumi had returned from Kyoto just over a month ago, and all were adjusting back to their new normal. Everything was quieter now that they were back in Tokyo, away from the Oniwabanshu, Okina's endless celebrations, and Misao's endless planning. Yahiko, having defeated a member of the Juppongatana on his own was determined to train. Determined to continue to grow and be useful. Sano was healing, rather attempting, while engaging in a street fight here and there. Megumi had Aizu on her mind and was adjusting to the finality of the fact that Kenshin would not be her future. Not in the way that she wanted.

And Kenshin and Kaoru had been dancing around Kyoto. What it meant when Kenshin said goodbye only to her. Her depression when he left. The eyes she had only for him when they were reunited. How he fought to stay alive for her. How she welcomed him home in Kyoto after the battle, every time he awoke the month he was healing, and here in Tokyo, being willing to accept him once again in the very same spot he had planned to leave her behind. For good.

And while they were closer now- they prepared meals together (Kaoru preparing while Kenshin cooked, of course), had begun taking walks together, and often shared cups of tea on the engawa- it appeared Kaoru was tired of dancing around matters.

"Kaoru-dono, you love… me?" Usually quite adept, her confession had caught him off guard, causing him to abandon the traditional "this one" he used regularly to describe himself while speaking. If one looked closely a faint blush could be seen on his cheeks; Kaoru was looking closely.

Having put her tea down while Kenshin was processing, she stood, collecting the tray with both kettle and cup. She glanced back at Kenshin over her shoulder. Smiling warmly, her eyes crinkled genuinely as she rested the tray against the curve of her hip. Kenshin swallowed.

"Yes, Kenshin. You. I love _you_."

Wordlessly, maybe fearlessly Kenshin decided, Kaoru made her way back inside her home. _'Their home?'_ he wondered, eyes following her every movement. His reverie was broken as the shoji slid shut. He was alone. _'Was it this warm earlier?'_ The spring air had been so cool before. His scarf felt clammy around his neck. Shaking his head, he reached for the tofu bucket and continued to the dojo gates, hesitating just before his fingers grasped the wood barring the doors. _'What am I doing?'_ After a few moments hesitation, the swordsman twisted gracefully on his feet. He set the bucket down, mind made up.

_'Breakfast could wait,'_ he decided, glancing upwards quickly as the yellows, pinks, and oranges began to paint themselves across the sky. Birds chirping accompanied his quiet footsteps back to the dojo. The shoji slid open easily. He loosened the scarf around his neck. _'It seems Kaoru and I have some things we should discuss.'_

The door slid shut.

* * *

A cute little thing I hope! #hotnerdfall has me on a creative streak, and I've been teeming with creative energy. This means lots of fun projects for y'all. I'm always taking suggestions on scenarios and am excited to see what y'all want to see. This story is currently unbetad, but I'll always look into offers. Til next time!

-BABN


	2. Prompt 2: Meant for Everyone

I'm baaaaaaack. This has been a good week for my writing. Y'all left such lovely reviews, so thank you! This one is longer due to my prolonged absence. A lot of these prompts are so fun and it feels good to explore KenKao through unrelated one shots through place and time. SesshaTetsuko reminded me that my Tomoe was pretty OOC, so I'm hoping that it's better after some edits. Author's notes at the bottom! Enjoy this present day AU!

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or any words that sound like Lizzo lyrics or movie titles:)

_**Ten Ways to Say I Love You**_

* * *

_Prompt 2: Through laughter, over a chorus of voices, knowing it'll strike home anyway. It's meant for everyone here, after all. _

He wasn't supposed to be here. He certainly wasn't supposed to be drunk.

_'So over the top,'_ he sighed, playing with his own cuff links absentmindedly. The three empty glasses sat in front of him- a fourth still half full of his favorite whisky- promised the lightweight a miserable tomorrow morning at best. He'd had one on the plane as well. Another at the airport bar. The bartender had been shooting him looks anxiously for the last half hour, but by the grace of whatever magic Kami-sama had left him, the man didn't say a word, leaving him to wallow in front of the dark screen of his phone. Still no texts. No missed FaceTimes. Nothing.

When Kenshin returned to Kyoto, he had hoped against all odds for a small quiet thing in his favorite restaurant- maybe one of his restaurants even. He'd sit with a few friends and _her_; laughing about the past and planning the future. His homecoming, in his mind, was really meant to be a simple affair. Unfortunately, Kenshin's manager, egged on by the rest of his friends, didn't know how to do such a thing. Quite the opposite, he thought, glancing around the sophisticated interior of the Kyoto National Museum, the location his manager and childhood friend had selected.

Being a chef, and successful restaurant owner, he preferred to do most of his work from the kitchen. Chopping and tasting from the back of the house, hearing nothing but murmurs of how the food tasted from waiters returning or occasional walk-throughs at the restaurant. In fact, before this last restaurant abroad went public- his third opening, in fact- he was half-convinced half of his regulars didn't know who he was. '_If only that was still the case.'_ Slouched on the bar, half-way on his way to piss ass drunk was hardly a look his manager would be happy with.

"_What the hell, Kenshin!?" _

Only one woman could make a whisper so bone-chillingly terrifying. Before he could right himself himself, his world twisted as midnight blue acrylic nails dug through his suit jacket and dully into his arm. Ah. His manager. "The one night you needed to keep it together, you decide to drown in cheap whisky." The fact that it was a statement rather than a question would have scared him if he was sober. Her immaculately arched eyebrow raised at him screamed exactly what she thought of his stupidity. And if it wasn't clear, her next words reinforced the message: "Stop thinking about her for three seconds so you can pull your head out of your ass." Though the message was delivered calmly, the whisper so close to his ear, it would send a lesser man running. At that exact moment, Kenshin felt like a lesser man. _"Ah, there's the slight panic and fear that I'm used to.'_

But the redhead smiled widely, probably to mask the fear he was sure she could smell. "Tomoe. I was just thinking about you." Said woman ignored him. Instead she continued to drag him towards the stage, letting the silence fill the void. Kenshin decided immediately he would have preferred a lecture. Choosing to study the immaculate marble flooring, he stumbled awkwardly on air every few feet as they went. His shoes were sure to be scuffed later on. He sighed.

He'd known his childhood friend long enough to know that she was simply worried about him. She had mentioned her. Kaoru. Even thinking her name flipped his stomach. Having left her on such good terms to open his first restaurant in America, he was anxious to see Kaoru again. Despite consistent FaceTimes during the later Boston hours just to catch her awake on a daylight Kyoto minute, he was worried that the feelings had lessened in his absence. It had been a long six months. A goofy grin split across his face. She would probably laugh to see him so drunk so early in the evening. '_It's gotta be 6:50 at best_.' She'd found his wine drunk self amusing and would probably get a kick out of this. He laughed, deeply amused by his own thoughts. It was almost a pity how too late he heard the low murmur of the crowd, the clinks of glasses, and clicks of the camera as pictures were taken. A tugging at his sleeve caused him to raise his head just as the curtains pulled. Eyes wide, he took a step back, attempting to escape the death grip she had on his arm. "Tomoe, wait-"

Bright lights. The roar of applause drowned out any further complaints he had. His shocked expression dropped immediately. _'Thank God I didn't cut these bangs like Tomoe wanted.'_ It was easier to hide the surprise in his eyes this way. Between his self-prescribed alcohol blanket and the warmth of the room, he wished he'd worn anything but a three-piece suit. He was glad his hair was off his neck, piled into a knot on top of his head. In front of him, a large wooden podium. His hands felt clammy, and he placed them on the wood, hoping to hide his anxiety.

"Well, hello there. It's good to be here... though I wish I could really see you all." He squinted at the crowd. '_Where is she?'_

The audience laughed, captivated by his humbleness. He shifted, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. Tomoe shifted with him, strained smile maintained as both hands were latched around his arm. If he was being honest, her arm was probably the only thing keeping him from swaying back and forth, and probably off the stage. She dug her nails tighter into his arm.

Kenshin sighed. The first words he'd spoken to the crowd were the truth. There were so many bright lights from photographers and he _probably_ shouldn't have had that drink on the plane. _And_ the one at the airport bar. _Or_ the three here. _Definitely not_ the three here. Okay, he was drunk. Not "where the hell's my phone?" kind of drunk- he did pat his front right pocket just to confirm- but the alcohol was hitting, and his senses and his tongue, just like his feet earlier, felt looser than he normally preferred. So he was definitely on his way to drunk.

"Honestly, I'm no good with crowds so it's probably best for all of you if I keep this brief." '_That fact and all the alcohol I've drank_.' Another laugh from the crowd and the visible toast of a few champagne flutes. Despite his current state, the redhead had always had an unexplained ability to capture a crowd. Something that always irked him as he was never truly comfortable being the center of attention. He leaned further onto the podium, running his hands through his hair with yet another sigh. The action brought swoons from the crowd and he was immediately reminded another reason getting drunk in the first place had been a good idea. He really wished he could be anywhere else than here. Looking out to the crowd, he squinted past the bright lights as he continued.

"This restaurant has been a journey and a culmination of trial and error, but the joy of cooking for all of you is an endgame I'll enjoy got the rest of my life. So please believe my words that each and every person who's tried my cooking spat it out, helped me grow as a chef until I could work way around a kitchen has been a joy. Most importantly, to my Tokyo family who was here when I was a baka deshi chef and my cooking was… well, not the top forty choices for a meal to put it lightly. Thank you. And to everyone who could be here tonight and those who couldn't, please believe me when I say..."

He hesitated as his eyes locked with a familiar pair of blue ones over a flute of champagne. His spine straightened. From so far away, he could barely see her, and for a second, it felt like he had both everything and nothing to say. _'Could she see him looking at her?'_ He sure hoped so. His right hand reached up to pull his tie. More nervous now than he'd been all evening. "Thank you for being here tonight, and I hope more than anything you'll continue to stay with me on this journey. I love you. I'll _always _love you."

A waiter passed in between them just as the crowd erupted, and her gaze averted, glancing casually at her phone. '_Perhaps I imagined the moment.' _Someone told him later there was thunderous applause, but he could hear none of it. He could hear his blood pumping through his ears as his face flushed. From the alcohol or the frustration of losing that moment, he was unsure. This was why he only drank from time to time with friends. Or with her. He felt most comfortable with her.

Staggering away from the stage, Tomoe still on his arm fiercely, smiling politely and dragging him down the stairs towards the crowd. This way and that to talk to agents, and reporters interested in restaurant expansion. He was also pretty sure his childhood friend was getting a kick out of his semi-drunk misery, steering him everywhere except the back corner he was pretty sure he'd seen the majority of his friends at. The particular man in front of him at the moment had a particular gleam in his eye that he couldn't find himself to trust. Shifty and greedy. _'No thanks.'_ He nodded when he felt appropriate, but his eyes wandered back to that table, head turned over his shoulder very clearly in disinterest. She was gone now.

The muttered "What a creep," brought him back to the moment quickly, but not as quickly as the elbow that landed just under his ribs. As he choked on his spit, the chiding began. "This isn't just a welcome home party and you know it. Pay attention or this whole night will be for nothing." It was terrifying how Tomoe could make her voice whisper so gentle and threatening at the same time. As he caught his breath, he saw the man was gone now. '_Oh.'_ Kenshin gulped roughly.

_Bzzz. _His childhood friend usually relied on her words to strike fear, so he should really have been concerned when she started to be violent. Nevertheless, he couldn't have been more thankful for the buzz in his pocket. '_Maybe Kami-sama has just a little bit of love left for me_.' Pulling his phone from his pocket, he glanced at the screen and felt his hand slack. The outdated iPhone juggled back and forth between his left and his right, struggling to secure his phone as it fell. Finally, he caught it with both hands, phone clutched to his chest as he caught his breath.

_Bzzz. _

_Bzzz. _

_Bzzz._

The fourth vibration gave him courage as he gazed at the screen once again. Apparently, Kami had a lot of love for him. The screen displayed a few notifications for games like Mario Kart and FarmVille- '_Who even still plays FarmVille in 2019?'_ Four notifications that left Kenshin struggling and out of breath were simple ones:

Kaoru: Great speech *smiling face with three hearts emoji*

Kaoru: Also..

Kaoru: Always, huh? *pair of eyes emoji*

Kaoru: Me too. Always to you too. I've missed you. Call me.

If the juggling act hadn't gained enough attention, the hoot he'd released captured the rest of the room. Half-running, half-staggering, Kenshin made his way towards the exit, almost taking one of the heavy curtains out with him on a nasty stumble. Tomoe emotionally done, massaged her temples, somehow amazed at her friend's one-track-mindedness despite years of knowing him. The smile on her face underneath that palm though, spoke to her friend's potential happiness.

"About time."

* * *

I feel as though the manga projects Kaoru as a lightweight. Personally, we never really see Kenshin drinking that much so I'm convinced he'd be a lightweight. I've been doing a lot of Kenshin POV and I'm really excited to continue to try something different. What did y'all think? Reviews help remind me that y'all want to read my work! If you've been reading my other work, Coming Home to You, you know that I've been having tech issues. I still plan on updating every two weeks. On that note, see y'all at the next prompt!

-BABN


	3. Prompt 3: Twisted into Something Else

Baaaack. Hope you've all had some happy holidays! This one is AU, fluffy, and hella cute so we'll jump right in, shall we? Author's notes at the bottom.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own creative process. And student loan debt. Definitely student loan debt.

* * *

**Ten Ways to Say I Love You**

_Prompt 3: Slipped under your tongue, twisted into something else. "I trust you," maybe. Trust them to figure it out._

From the door frame, he stared at the lump under the bed hiding under the covers. She was under there somewhere. '_I think…'_

"Kaoru?" he questioned carefully.

"**No."** He blinked, shifting backwards minutely, taken aback at the outright refusal of his person.

"Don't take offense. She's been under there all day." Startled, Kenshin turned to see Yahiko walking towards him through the hallway nonchalantly, a towel around his waist. Water dripped from his hair. A second smaller towel lay around his neck, a catch all for the loose water.

In a moment Kenshin could only describe as absolutely terrifying, he watched as Yahiko flung the wet washcloth from around his neck at his sister, landing right where Kenshin assumed her head was.

"Yahiko, you're an asshole!" The blankets shifted angrily, struggling to fling the washcloth, without her actually coming from underneath the blanket. It fell onto the wooden floor with a splat.

Said little brother cackled, making his way to his room before shutting the door with his foot.

Placing his bag by her door, Kenshin entered the room cautiously. "Kaoru," he started gently, sitting on the edge of her bed. She'd insisted on a boho look in her new apartment, which meant light pink sheets and plants everywhere. "What's wrong?"

"It hurts Kenshin," she whined, voice muffled from underneath her duvet.

Kenshin's head fell to the right like a confused puppy. "What hurts?"

Kenshin tensed as the blanket flew, revealing a miserable looking Kaoru in a giant black fluffy robe and midnight blue fuzzy socks. Her hands were thrown over her face in distress. "Everything! My vagina, my stomach- it all hurts, and I have to go to the store because I'm on my last tampon, but I don't wanna 'cause it huuuuuuurts."

Kenshin blanched, caught off guard by the sudden emotion directed his way. '_Help her,'_ his inner voice urged, not enjoying the way his stomach churned at her pain. "I can go for you if you want."

She stilled, peaking out at him from between her fingers. "Would you really?" questioning the validity of his too-good-to-be-true offer in her time of need.

He nodded. "What do you need?" The quickness with which the kendo instructor shifted to her knees had Kenshin wondering if his offering was a mistake.

"It's a small pink box, not a soft package, a box. The soft packages are always pads, and I need tampons. Grab the one that's around eight dollars, not seven. That should have enough so that I won't have to go back later this week. But make sure you grab the ones that have super AND regular in the same box. Anything else won't be helpful. You'll see a bunch of other things too, like douching kits and period cups, blah blah blah- the works. I promise you I only need the tampons. And pleeeease, don't grab the scented ones. Unscented only. I know they say it's fine, but who sticks perfume up their hu ha? It just doesn't seem safe, ya know?"

Kenshin wasn't sure if his jaw had dropped on its own, or if he was attempting to ask one of the tens of questions running through his mind. _'Did she name her vagina, Hu Ha? And period cups? How would that even..?'_ His eyebrow twitched.

Kaoru looked at him. Really truly looked at him, slightly concerned. "You okay? I can come with you if you want." She shifted to her side, ready to swing her legs off the side of the bed."

His hand on her leg stopped her. '_The point of me offering was supposed to take things off her plate, not stress her out more.'_ "Maa, maa, I'll be fine, Kaoru. Don't worry."

His face must have shown her he was lying, but she shrugged nonetheless. "If you say so." she said knowingly. She always had a way of knowing. With a small smile, she stroked the x on his left cheek. "I trust you, Kenshin."

That statement gave him less hope than he was already feeling. '_I'm glad one of us does…' _he thought, leaving the room dazedly. Shaking his head, his hair whipped side to side like a cat's tail. He steeled his resolve. '_It's just a box of tampons- how hard could it be?'_

* * *

Kaoru blinked at the variety of bags strewn haphazardly across her boyfriend's person. She'd forgotten he was an advocate for only making one trip from the car with the groceries. "Kenshin…" she started slowly, confusion dripping from her tone. '_He wasn't even gone for thirty minutes.'_ "What is all this?"

"Well," His tone was excited. _'Or was that anxious?'_ she wondered. "I got to the store and remembered that you said a box of tampons but wasn't sure where to find them. I asked one of the female employees, and she guided me to the aisle. You know, the male ones are pretty clueless." He began, unloading the boxes onto her bed as he spoke. She probably would have enjoyed that last comment if the items from the bags weren't so distractingly different and unrelated. _'Is that an aloe vera leaf?'_ the bluenette pondered. _'And sriracha?'_ She continued to blink blankly at the redhead in front of her, head tilted to the side. The messy bun piled on her head followed the motion, threatening to fall loose from its confines.

"But looking around the boxes, I realized you said pink, and I didn't know what color pink you wanted? Light pink? Fuschia? Magenta? What type? Gentle Glide? Sports?" Out of the bags came so many different boxes. She wanted to both laugh and cry at the situation. Her blue eyes softened at his thoughtfulness.

"Then I remembered you mentioned period cups and pads so I picked up a few of those too. But when I told the employee you were in pain- her name was Emiri by the way. She was so nice- Anyways, Emiri suggested some things to make you feel better." More bags were unloaded. '_Was he even carrying those when he walked in?' _Her eye twitched, right hand covering her mouth to cover her quiet laughter. She hoped her shoulders shifting wouldn't give her away.

"This bag has Cookies and Cream Hershey bars, Ben&Jerry's Americone Dream and Pecan Sticky Buns ice cream, and Italian raspberry sorbet. Over here are some face masks. Emiri showed me a recipe for a homemade one though, so the ingredients for that are in here. '_That explains the aloe vera leaf,'_ Kaoru thought with a small smile.

Kenshin was far from done, hands flurrying over the remaining bags. "I've got Disney+, and I'm pretty sure Atlantis is on there. We can watch that or the Goofy movie maybe? Plus, there's a weighted blanket and a heating pad here somewhere. Though I can cuddle with you too if you want." Kaoru ignored the way her face flushed in favour of admiring the light pink tint that now decorated Kenshin's face. '_My boyfriend is adorable.'_ she decided, mentally cheering that she'd called dibs on him at lunch with Misao and Megumi that day last year in their dorm. Though he'd assured her that he'd only had eyes for her from the beginning. "You think you chose me?" he'd questioned. "Kamiya Kaoru, you were the only one I'd noticed at that table." Her heart warmed at the memory.

"I also stopped by the Oriental Market- your favourite on 5th- on the way home and got your favourite spicy ramen -that's what the sriracha, egg, green onions, and crushed red pepper are for- and some chocolate almond pocky." Kenshin finished, finally looking up from his findings expectantly, only to find Kaoru with tears in her eyes. "Kaoru, wha-?"

Overwhelmed with emotion, Kaoru pounced, knocking them both to the floor.

Kneeling between his legs, Kaoru had thrown her arms around his shoulders as he sat leaning against the door where he'd landed. His own hands, that had caught her just below her ribcage on instinct, slipped around her waist slowly. She reveled in how that touch made her feel. She was taller than him like this. Just barely though. "I don't know what I've done to deserve you, but I'm so happy to have someone who spoils me so when I need it." Leaning back, she lead her forehead to his own. Her eyes glanced to his lips and back, eyes glimmering like crystals with unshed tears and sheer joy. His tongue licked his own lips, hoping they weren't too chapped from how much he'd chewed on them, distressed from trying to find what Kaoru needed.

Despite her assertiveness, she kissed him gently, hands cupping his face, right hand tracing his scar soothingly. Coaxing him into the kiss took little effort at all- her affection made him eager to be closer to her. No matter how many times her lips found his, his heart never failed to stutter in his chest at her happiness. He smiled against her lips, before pulling away gently, teeth scraping her bottom lip affectionately. She'd almost pulled his mouth back to hers because of it, but thought better of it. _'Another time…'_ Glancing up at her, he pulled her forehead to his once again. Her bangs tickled his forehead, and she adored the way his nose scrunched in response.

Still stroking his cheek, she smiled. "See, grabbing tampons; not so bad, huh?" His eyes crinkled with mirth. "So bad. Women are amazing. _You're_ amazing." Her smile widened, beaming at him. His heart leapt as her hand traced the bones in his face before tapping his nose gently with the tip of her index finger. "I knew I could trust you, Kenshin." His eyes widened in understanding. He leaned into her touch, eyes fluttering shut with joy.

"Always happy to help."

* * *

I jumped through so many scenarios before settling on this one. A clueless Kenshin, eager to please and capable of so much, yet struggling to pick the right set of tampons? Honestly hilarious to me. I truly love the love this couple has for each other. A love that stands true against time. As always, reviews keep me going. Preferably positive or constructive. I recognize I want to continue to portray these two throughout time, though I'll admit, I'm struggling on a variety of whens. Taking suggestions for time periods and scenarios you'd like to see these two navigate, and I'll work with what fits in the prompts!

-BABN


End file.
